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Lorri Montgomery
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National Center for State Courts
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Chief Justice of Kosovo visits with Chief Justices of U.S. State Courts

Receives Award for Work to Establish an Independent Judiciary

Amelia Island, Fl. (Jan. 16, 2006) – The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) today awarded Rexhep Haxhimusa, President of the Supreme Court of Kosovo, the 2006 Award for International Judicial Innovation during the midyear meeting of the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) being held in Amelia Island, Fl. In his first visit to the United States, President Haxhimusa is attending CCJ to meet with the chief justices of the state Supreme Courts to share information about how essential an independent and accountable judiciary is to a democratic society.

Since 2001, the NCSC has partnered with the U.S. Agency for International Development, in working for justice system reform in Kosovo, which became a United Nations protectorate after the civil war that erupted in the former Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. The NCSC is working with President Haxhimusa and the Kosovar courts in the areas of judicial ethics, court administration, case management, judicial councils and strategic planning.

In addition to the assistance from the NCSC and the USAID, President Haxhimusa said he has relied heavily on the work of America’s Founding Fathers in creating his country’s justice system and establishing the rule of law in Kosovo. “On this occasion when you are honoring me with this award, please let me take you back to March 4, 1801 when Thomas Jefferson took office as the third president of the United States. He proclaimed basic principles of government before fellow citizens, amongst which was ‘the principle of equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.’ “ Calling this principle a “fundamental pillar of a democratic society” Haxhimusa said, “this principle is of a crucial importance especially for us experiencing different difficulties due to the lack of this principle during the period of 50 years of a communist regime.”

From the Conference of Chief Justices, President Haxhimusa travels to Washington, D.C. where he will meet Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, and visit with federal and state agencies. He will then travel to NCSC headquarters in Williamsburg, Va., where he will also meet with students of William & Mary’s School of Law.

The National Center for State Courts, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a non-profit court reform organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. The National Center, founded in 1971 by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, provides education, training, and technology, management, and research services to the nation’s state courts. The National Center also is taking the lead on several key issues facing the justice system, such as judicial selection reform, increasing citizen participation in jury service, improving court outcomes for abused and neglected children, increasing the public’s trust and confidence in the courts.  

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